CORONAVIRUS: Wednesday 4/1 roundup

King County’s numbers report is back after a day away, and that tops tonight’s roundup:

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From today’s Seattle-King County Public Health news release:

2,496 confirmed positive cases (up 166 from Monday)

164 confirmed deaths (up 14 from Monday)

23 people are currently staying in King County isolation and quarantine facilities

To compare – one week ago, the numbers were 1,359 King County cases, and 100 deaths.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Still no new updates on the state Department of Health page, but they’re working on a fix, the governor said today.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: Find them – nation by nation – here.

NO EXTENSION DECISION YET: The governor had another media briefing today (here’s our coverage, with video) and said he’s “likely” to extend the “stay-home” order but not ready to make an announcement yet. (The current expiration date is Aprll 6th, next Monday.)

BE A MAKER: The governor also exhorted our state’s manufacturers to pivot to making things that the pandemic fight requires – PPE, test sample vials, etc. (At least one here in our area has already stepped up to help out – we’re working on that story for tomorrow.)

SHOULD YOU WEAR A MASK? You’ve probably heard that the federal government is mulling new guidance on this topic. SKCPH addressed the topic in today’s news release, saying, “Staying apart from other people is our best protection against COVID-19, but non-medical masks can be a supplement.”

GOT SPARE SANITIZER? Here’s a local collection drive.

GOT SOMETHING TO OFFER OR REQUEST? Remember that West Seattle Support is up and running now at westseattlecovid.recovers.org – co-coordinator Phil Tavel just spoke at tonight’s (online) District 1 Community Network meeting (full meeting report later) and said they’re continuing to ramp up, with dozens of volunteers ready to help, too.

GOT INFO? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!

9 Replies to "CORONAVIRUS: Wednesday 4/1 roundup"

  • Zmmr April 2, 2020 (8:37 am)

    When is the president’s coronavirus status?You only mentioned the governor one but not the national president one.

    • WSB April 2, 2020 (9:04 am)

      The DOH is not “the governor’s status,” it’s the state Dept. of Health. The Johns Hopkins page includes US national info. If you want to know more national detail, check the CDC.

  • Someone April 2, 2020 (9:17 am)

    I really wish people would stay home! I work at a neighborhood store and there were so many people out and about on this past Saturday, I had more than 200 customers come through my checkout line, Buying random things I’m pretty sure were non essential.  I asked a family what they were up to and they told me that they were going crazy and had to get out, so thought they would just stop in and look around….. I told them They did NOT have to be here BUT I DO..  At this moment I am the only person in my home that is working.. If I get sick we are all screwed. PLEASE STAY HOME PEOPLE!

  • J April 2, 2020 (10:26 am)

    WSB- Any word on the rate of false negatives in our region’s testing? I am hearing more and more stories of people with troubling COVID like illness and negative testing, and no alternative diagnosis. Many of these people are being forced to work, often quite sick, based on a single negative test. This is potentially causing extensive further transmission of disease, perhaps to our most vulnerable residents, if a test simply was not detecting virus that was actually present. I would love to see reporting on false negative rates seen in the laboratory, and rates of suspicious negative tests in vivo. I know that for a while multiple negative tests were required to release a person from isolation. I imagine that this was because detection was less than accurate. This is potentially a huge problem that could cause a false sense of security in our community.

    • AMD April 2, 2020 (12:49 pm)

      Regular flu, pneumonia, and strep will all cause similar symptoms and show up negative for COVID-19.  It’s not necessarily a false negative because the symptoms match (false negatives do happen, but it is more likely that it is a different illness).  Regardless, people shouldn’t be going to work if they’re sick with anything.  I don’t want coronavirus, but I don’t want strep throat or the flu either.  Stay home, all sick people!  Employers can’t force sick people to work (what employers DO is guilt, chide, and peer pressure which, while douchy, is not illegal).  Stand your ground, workers.

  • Lisa April 2, 2020 (12:00 pm)

    @someone – not sure I get it. If everyone stays home, you won’t have a job. Isn’t there some way you can be protected? i.e. face mask, gloves, 6 feet away from customer, plexiglass between you and customer…. When I go to a store, I ask the checkout clerk if it’s ok that I’m there and I don’t think they’re lying when they say they are ok with working and not worried. If you are concerned, you might request some time off or insist on the above measures (which your store should be providing anyway). 

  • Someone April 2, 2020 (1:10 pm)

    My store does protect us, And is an essential business, I’m not worried about us closing. I really don’t think people should be stopping in to look around and buy candy and soda.  That is not essential  seriously… Also letting their children touch everything within their reach.

  • Really? April 2, 2020 (1:28 pm)

    Lisa, she (someone) was talking about the people who are   there because they just “needed to get out”. If you are going to the store for something that is essential that doesn’t mean a field trip for the family.  We are asked to do our very small part in fighting this horrible virus.  Our hospital system is going to be at  a breaking point soon, if it isn’t already.  Every extra person in the store, or anywhere in public is putting themselves and others in very real danger. People are dying. And the more we go out just because we want to, the longer it’s going to last and more people will die   Yes jobs are essential, we all know that. But lives are precious.  People who are a asymptomatic are unknowingly passing this virus onto others who may not survive it. I’m going a bit crazy too, but I’m trying to do my part. Im also trying not to get sick.  She was being perfectly reasonable to expect people to do what they are being asked to do to save lives. Essential business.  Not family field trips.  There is a world of difference between the two.  

    • Someone April 2, 2020 (3:06 pm)

      Thank You Really?

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